Lyr Req: Hodge and Molly / Don't Be Foolish Pray

Subject: Lyr Req: Hodge and Molly
From: Spot
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 02:17 PM

Hello everybody.....anybody remember words of song?? No idea who or when but any info gratefully received...

                Regards to all ....Spot

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hodge and Molly
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 02:32 PM

Don't You be Foolish, Pray, I should imagine. I'm not sure that the DT transcription is 100% accurate.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hodge and Molly
From: GUEST,Peter from Essex
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 02:59 PM

The transcription is certainly as good as my memory of Nic Jones' singing of the song.

Subject: ADD Version: Don't You Be Foolish, Pray
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 03:11 PM

http://www.sarcon.demon.co.uk/engfolk/21/frames/0623-L.htm is a different transcription of the song:

DON'T YOU BE FOOLISH PRAY

Now Hodge met Molly the miller's maid, who long his suit denied,
And, half inclined, half afraid, he did scratch his old head and cry:
"Now Molly, while I love you so, why still our hearts deny".
"Come hang it, and to the parson go - "
"And now don't you be foolish, pray".

And Molly with an artful blush that shamed a rose's hue,
She cried to Hodge: "I pray you, hush!"
"And I pray you speak softly, do!"
"We will be overhead, I know".
"The mill won't work today, and so, dear Hodge, let go of me hand!"
"And now don't you be foolish, pray!"

And Hodge has chide'd that has stand,
He says: "Then goodbye!"
"I'm going to give young Susan me hand - "
"Since now you do cast off high".

"Me cast you off?" cries Molly, "No!"
"The mill won't work today - "
"And so, dear Hodge, to church we'll go!"
"And now don't you be foolish, pray!"

-----
Traditional
Sung by Nic Jones on "Ballads and Songs", who somehow makes
the words fit the tune.

---

Are there any other sources of this song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hodge and Molly
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 03:21 PM

The transcription in the Digital Tradition is from a book called Harmonious Companions (click). The page I've linked to has MIDI files for the songs in the book. The Digital Tradition has several songs from this book. (click here to search).

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hodge and Molly
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 04:13 PM

Hmm.. they both contain mishearings so far as I can see. I'll have to get back about that.

Nic didn't get the song from a traditional source (there don't seem to be any), but from a broadside; and I think the tune was his own. You can see one edition at Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads:

Dont be foolish pray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hodge and Molly
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 04:26 PM

Apart from the a couple of misspellings (overhead for overheard and high for I) there are only a few minor differences between the transcription Joe posted above and Nic's singing:

And Molly with an artful blush that shamed the rose's hue,

For We will be overheard, I know".

And Hodge thus chided at a stand,
He says: "Well then goodbye!"
"I'm going to give young Susan me hand - "
"Since now you do cast off I".


Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hodge and Molly
From: GUEST,spot
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 05:55 PM

Hello everybody..

             Jings, guys...that was quick!!!   I thought I was on a loser with that one!!! Many, many thanks to all who contributed..I guess I'll have to learn it now!
                        


Next question...where can 'Ballads and Songs' be got???

                Regards to all.....Spot

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hodge and Molly
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 06:06 PM

It's part of the Bulmer Collection these days. I think that he may have re-issued it now, but you'll recall some of the discussions of that subject here in the past.

Subject: Lyr Add: DON'T BE FOOLISH PRAY (from Bodleian)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 07:09 PM

From Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads, 2806 c.17(103):


DON'T BE FOOLISH PRAY
(Printed by W. Wright, Birmingham, between 1820 and 1855.)

Young Hodge met Mog, the miller's maid,
Who long his suit denied,
And, half inclined and half afraid,
Scratch'd his rough head and cried:
"Now, Molly, while I love you so,
Why still our joys delay?
Come, dang it! To the parson go,
And don't be foolish, pray."

Sweet Moggy with an artful blush
That sham'd the rose's hue,
Look'd round and cried to Hodge: "Hush, hush!
Speak softly, softly, do!
We shall be overheard, I know;
The mill don't work today.
Be quiet, Hodge! My hand let go.
Now don't be foolish, pray!"

Poor Hodge thus chid, [and] at a stand,
[He] cried: "Well then, goodbye!
I'se go to give to Sue my hand,
Since thee do cast off I."
"Me, cast you off?" cries Moggy. "No!
The mill don't work today,
And so, dear Hodge, to church let's go,
And don't be foolish, pray!"


["I'se" = dialect for "I shall."]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hodge and Molly
From: GUEST,Gerhard Weydt
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 02:47 AM

Malcolm Douglas supposed that Nic Jones made up the tune himself. But evidently Nic used the third part of Playford's "The merry milk maids". The version from the 10th edition in the American Library of Congress collection of dance instruction manuals

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=musdi&fileName=004/musdi004.db&recNum=34

is, apart from the dotted rhythm and the change of one note, identical with Nic Jones' tune.
A contents page with direct links to the pages can be found in:

http://www.les-plaisirs.de/LinksPlayford1698.htm

To judge from an abc I found on the web, earlier editions of "The Dancing Master" presented a somewaht different tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hodge and Molly
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 03:26 AM

Indeed yes; well spotted. Nic didn't specify a source for his tune, so the default assumption in that case was either that he made it up or couldn't remember where it came from. It's good to have the info.